Diving apparatus



J. F. O ROURKE DIVING APPARATUS Dec. 16, 1930.

Filed March 24, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Dec. 16, 1930. ]F- O'ROURKE 1,785,528

DIVING`- APPARATUS Filed March 24, 192g 5 sheets-Sheet 4 l ,Y g1g/'BEUR ATTQRNEY J. F. o'RoURKE 1,785,528 DIVING APPARATUS Dec. 16, 1930.

Filed March 24, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 vil"satellitari Y Where the Workmen' must be protected against Waterby means 1 of 'compressed "lair,V n f Inffmy application SerialNo. 105567 yiiledAprll 30,H

'19%, Lshovvedand.describeda.diving-appa-p l Y 4 l f rescuethe crew' of thesubmergedivesselfquick-L -fly andtwithout subjecting them duringfthe l .Theobject otmy to provide'a s portableworking:chamberiby means of whi`ch a l Stoa submerged vesselso that its upper end exftendsa'bove the Waterlevel and forms a means ff 1 of communication `whereby membersjoff the e A-creWcmv thefsnbmerged vessel maypa'ssfromthe ,vesselinto ltheA divingA4 cylinder and. be ,K l @thencetransportedthrough fthe'tube to the Q Workmen `or divers may havef-accessgto, sube merged objects or vessels 4orto groundunder, lying` Water and for fvarlous uc )therpurposes ratus forV the same general purposesandfthe ypresent case coversfeatures which vnlayibe n utilizedlin4 conjunctionbwith the eatures dis-f l to the vertical. Ingother words, `Where the 'formot-a cylinder Whichmaylbe attached to,

tion-thev diving cylinderrmay be maintained inder to conform tothe'curvature of thejsur# face to vvhi'ch it is closedin saiducopending,application: Y Y

vOneohject ofr the present i nvent1on 1sto provide divingapparatus, Apreferably ina-the:

or Vrest upona sunken vessel orf2othensub'-V of thevvessel-or otherobject which isinelined diving, apparatus `isattachedato. the decl; o r hulllofavessel which isin an inclined posiin a :vertical o r approximately vertical posi.- tion-.notwithstandingthe dierence in the an# gle betweenthedeck or hull ofthe submerged vessel and theloottom line of the rigid portion of the diving? Cylinder;4 :For this purposeIly have shown a bottom structure onV the lower end of the `cylinder which is of 'acollapsiblenature and Whichmay beradjusted `in accord-y ancevvith the diEerencefin theanglejof the declror other memberltowhich, thedevice isto be attached and-the angle of the fixed' bottom of theA diving 'cylindere In additifornl providel means for adj usting,` 4this collapsible or accordion member 'from Within thediving cyl-V attached in aA watertight s manner. Y i t e Y Another object ofmy inventionis to-providea telescoping tube :which may befolded to at least some extent Withinthe-'divi-ng `Cylinder, and thistube is made, etsectionswhichV may Ebe drawn'ou't'or extended, so'that when the'divinaylinderis etthed te @submerged present device is thev provision of means for d 192s.' *seat "No, $4,522.

mai? be draivn out or *extended*VV A' j; v

sothat when the diving cylinder is attached rescueoperatiojntoSairpressure, lso that no ,-deeompression l operation, is necessary, When theygaredischargedat-the surface In addition,4 anymaterialor obj ectsV Whichare to. be

salvagedare also carried upwardly through v Y `the tube'and-inifaotthetube ormsa meansof*v L;communicationbetween thesurfaoen and the.'` diving cylinder, While various `operations"are -J- being carried on".l Onc'eithe device is inoperai eo Y tive` position, those 'Workingfvvithin it may l operate in atmospherio pressurerand g even v leaveandreturngto'the deviceWithcmt,beingyV subgectedgtozpressures higher-than in -some Y l cases pressure prevailing in the' hull of the sunken-vessel. T j Another andisimportant'j advantage of the guyingl thefjtelescopingtubefvvhen in its ex-` tended position in order vto "hold fit properly 1n Aplace againstthe-aoton ofthev Water currentswind and Wavesjand in order to-relieve excessive strainV from th'e tube itself and from theldlvingfrcyhnderj. The means for guying the tubeI aresimple and leffective andY Vmeansfare also portable and 'may remain part of', the 1edullpment..goi' the apparatus.

Another-object otgthe invention-is to pro-,

ing .the rescue or Vtelescopictube in relation description ofmy: invention.

t In' thedrawmois Hfonningp maybelfquickly vvvput' into operation. p The to the diving .cylinder `4so thatfif theglatter fris not-exactlylinjavertioal position the teles'copicg tube need vnot loe inclined but lmay, Yneverth elessbemaintained in a' vertical position. Other v.features 1 and advantages will' Figure with the rescue Ytube `Vin' crtollapsedV position-,

Y Y the shell"Ehering partly broken'awayto 4the linterior parts5 i f Y.; 'ci A f F'gure B'fs avertical sectional 'view taken onthefline 13-3 of Figure ll'withfscmefof the devices withinthecylinder` plicity 'ofillustration,

shew

-fing' the method of plumbiiigsthe "same,v 13.1' Figure-s 8f` yis laf-'horizontal sectional.'-4 view vftakenonjtheline8;8 ofFigure-- i `-1' ikFigure Y 9 is. an 1 enlarged',v sectional 'view` showing portion :of the collaps'ible'bottom Y member and the adjusting means,

` -Fig l()y is ian i enlarged, `sectional `:the -.upper rportion' of thel cylinderV with' the "telels'copicjtube raised -t'o itsgphig'he'st positio'nf Figurefl isla similarview 'showing theY lation o the parts f-fwlien {the cylinderV is inclined and f with the'- telescopic tube" verti- Y v'vcallyi'arranged, v

*Figure 1,2v isl auf?Y Y Y 3 is #al sectional; vie

c staken-lee the* line 15e-'1.5 of Figurelhand Figure 16 is aninverted plan view looking at the bottom` of the diving cylinder.

capsized, it is possible .with the presenta-p- (portion 'of the hullv which is inthe uppermost position, even thoughiit isnot exactly hori- Zontal, and to permit the "crew tordrill,` cutY or burnA an opening'through the 'deck or hull 'sotthe submerged vessel-for rescuefpurposes.` Thus,gif thecrewbrpassengersof the 'sube Vmerged vessel are confinedliina water-tight cmpa'r'tment of fthe submerged vesselwhich isfnot 'provided with a hatchway,`neverthe less 'by using thepre'sent apparatus` a rescue `Opening:may be made in the submerged vessel for the purpose'of'rescuing thecrew or passangers or vfor'salvaging thecontents of' the vessel. Although the present appraratus 21 is an elevation'iof; Athe apparatus y' emitted 'fof-Siae* lface vessel,v nevertheless ,when it is installed 'in opera-tivel condition itjis not dependent .uponthe' surface vessel, 'at least until thedevice isjto `be"taken loutoxruse,V so thatfafter it hasbeen installed,Y the lsurface vessel may may be operated in conjunction withia surleave; thehlocation andgreturn. i If after oproughuforthe surface vesselfto remain in proximity to the present apparatus', the sal- Tlie "diving apparatusV consists essentially oflafshell lpreferablybut not necessarily of cylindrical form, and having an arched top 2 permanently secured. thereto by i advv'aterftight jointlf-"YI Vhave fshowln', this cylinder di- -videjd'gto *iforrnf'fu'pper and I flower' `compartk .mentslgllby means of "a horizontal dividing Figure 7 is a view-fsimilarito Figure but wall 15 `which isVV showin provided `witha vvdown- `wardly fopening dororliatchj 6 centrally lo,- [cated andfinli'ne with the-rescue tube Vfte be Y hereinafter' tdescribed.'y *In additiornff I have Y shown" a downwardly opening #door o'r'ih atch '7fby'V AneaI-isbffwhich'fthe crew may passfrom .va'gingzoper'tioiis.maycbefcontinued orrsusu l a v 5' -yg--pended,untilthereturn-ofthe surface vessel.` l.Figure 4 is aplan .view ofthe device vwith the `telescopic tube inl collapsed posit-ion,Vv Y f Figure v5 is an enlarged,l detail sectional c Y fviewfillustrating parts of4 the telescopic v tubeY 'fin'` collapsed position, v .i-lTigure'#6isV a similar view showingsome parts of thetube in extended positionfj' v 'H20 one-"ch'arr/110er tothe otherwhentheitelescopic tubeis down.: Whent-hese several hatches arevclosed there is no communicationotair pressures between theupper'- and lower lchamfbe'rs 3514:' andtheupperchainber ,maylremai'n completely jclojsedj faai'nst botli`'compressed urheonylinder. `provided 'innen side and the space ywithin this ring is isyfed to*thedivingY cylinder'vfthrough a tube lO'having water tight connection with the top or'j'a' cylinder of compressed air f" available; valve lSumaybe lusedto release compressedairfeither within the'upper d chambe'r or the valve 11 may be opened to supply,I through a connecting tube 12,r cornpressed fair' to theV lower compartment 4, and 'the compressedair entering the compartment c may/beso'regulatedaastofequal the external a 'waterpressure-l so that .this airY within the flower gcornpartment il' prevent 'the water jffrom u engerinof'y the open, bottom `of the diving I v avealso shown a ltelephone 13 intheupper compartment', connected Iby suit- .able wiresenclosedlinthe cable 14 and connected with correspon-ding instrumentsA on 'd the surface lvessel; [I'havesalsoshown'a ship 'ngepperefu "for, Senalineflesred' Shifting mvements to 'the operators on* vthe surface ice.

:QiandYit vlea-dsrom ay suitablefcompressed Tairsupply'on tliesurface'vessel A not shown) Y notfshown) Y ;m`ay be carried when ether V'sources are not i steering rudder 17 suitably-connected toV a steering post 18 whichV Lin'Water-tiglit connection.vvith v`.the top 2 and inside.y the com-v partment 3 this post is provided with agtiller 19. There is a propeller 2O arranged outfy fsideof the cylinder .upon ahorizontal 'shaft 21 which latter extends throughta;stufng p boxto the interior ofthecylinderanditis propeller. By means of thepropelli ngdei vice and steering device the diving cylinder`A maybe propelled laterallyandfat'lthe'same time steeredin order tdmove it `tothe desired location. The propellermayalso be used'fto supplement th connected With a; motor 22 for driving .the

,towing actionpf therapies@ .vesseL q The meansffor securing the cylindertothe" submerged vessel and for kplumbing the cylinfV-- der,` comprises the Jfollowing :V

' As'hasbeenstated above', there isan' annu-` 'larring 8 of angle metal attached'to thenner surface at' thebottomfeIldjf the cylinder.. 1. Preferably there is attachedn to the exterior surface ofthe cylinder a pliable tubular mem- Vber 23 vwhich is adaptedto'foldflikean ac*` cordion. This pliable member which injef- Which press outwardly gehsttheennersur? faceof thejaccordion member23 fandthis it-is so Vdisposed vtliatits convolutioiis lie intermediate theconvolutions of thefspring 2 4.'

This second spring 26, however, is disposed .to engagefthe Vouter surface Yotthe pliable ac cordion .member 23 Aand lit suitably anchored by being attachedto the 'outside of varying diameters is to hold the pliable meml member 23 ycorrugatedasshovvnin'the draw-- the lower end of the cylinder and'to the ringf 27. The effect of these inner and outer'springs Vwhich are of relatively dierentand slightly bei. 2s. .in Cylindrical formwirh thegpiiabie ings, and they permit thiscorrugated'and pliable Wallto be folded or collapsed either parallel With the bottom'offthecylinder or to "be collapsed on an angle with relationthere` to, as shown in Figure 7 vor tofbecurve'dl at the bottom to conform to the contour of the .vesselfplate toWhichitis attached.``

There is a metal ring 27 secured to a gasket 28, of annular shape'an'd preferablyfmade of rubber, andthis same gasket is also attached l tothe bottom edgeofthe'pliable meinber 23 by a." lvsifater-tight connection. f1 yThe z annular ring '27`is provided with: a number 'of socket the..44 reverseV "threads toi* lengthen the turn l -buckles;vvhereas,'when operated `in an oppo.-v i site direction Atheylserve t0 yshorten the turn buckles?? These turn v'buclles may? bel oper; `ated yb'ylfthe crevv While standing Within the l, Theuppeppefeonofthe divingfylindef,

togvvit, the top 2,", isfpi'ovided with anV annular `ring 86 the innerssurfaceof" vvhich is' of E,spherical:shape` It'o. guidek fthe spherical lball 4 member Y BT'Which is-{Inovable kuniversally g 1 AWithin themember 86, the connection betvv'eenv 4these tivoimemberfs being-adaptedto exclude v l- Y cylindenxThe sphericalor ballmeinber 3?", i Which-. isf'itself hollovvyfisf provi'ded'with a7 numberVV ofi] apertures.'aroundthefcircle f ber 4, `is prevented Afrom collapsngvend `is .caused to fold in regular orderby lmeansfof inner and outer spiralV springsl l l'rflve shown arspiralspring`-24the convolutionsof thepassage.,` of. y Water sintol. the -;divi`ng throughf Whichjpa'ss .the 'supportingE bolts 39 p V1'fv'vardlyon'jthe flange 38 for the Ypurpose of springisshovvnlas having one end connected.; at25 Withthe annular ring 'S referredgto above. Thereis anothercoiledspring 2 6 and supporting the ball-member 37 in` close-fitting contact? 'with fthe?socketmember 3.6: 'lfvhese several bolts mayvbe adjnstedto incline the' ball member? various positions in rele` ll'the reverse ofthis condition is shown, so

that the ball member 37i`stilted in the opposite directionfinv relation to the diving cylinder.l )The top.l of 'the' ball vmember 37 is .provided VWith a stufling boxl containing the4 packingV ringv i2 which is; adapted to be vheld in Water-*tight connection Withthe outer `member 44 of thetelescopic tube by means of thefclamping nut 4:3; This' connection-per- 'mitsthe outermost member of the .telescopic tnbetoslide vvithrelation to the balljinemfber37 vand to Vexclude.vvaterifrom entering between these meinbersand *reachingthe interior fof-the" cylinder. v y

plurality fof tubular members f adapted to "telescope one Withinlthe other. The section Thelcollapsibletube'fis composed of v spondingwiththe angle of theldeck o Vplate() ofthe submerg'edfve'ssel ThisW1ll permit the gasltetf 28ste jcomeL torest `oni-the' f deck-orhu-l'lof'the submerged vessel, as shown,

l in Figure?, whilethe cylinder'l `remains inav able member '1231s,v permitted to expand or contract, similaritoan accordiom-fbutit willeffigieiendfgeeket feefeeeanieer ailgi l vertical position, or nearly so. Forthis pur-v l pose some of the nuts 35', may be turned 'inone direction while others are turned in alother direction, in ordertofincline thering 27 and;V gasket 28 in relation to thebettonrofthe cylinder 1.' During` this adjustment the plialways be heldin distended condition circum` plate 70 `to secure thejlower end of the accordion member to the submerged vessel ink water-tight relation. The .compressed `air "within thecompartment 4 may be blown 0H to reduce this compartment to1atmospherifc pressure or pressure approximately that of the submerged vessel. Theexternalwater pressure will thensupplement the holdingV of the gasket 28 tightly against the hull for deck plate 70. This blowing omay be done; at a rate which will safely decompress the crewincompartment e. v

' The diving apparatus having been applied to the sunkenvessel, the telescopic tube may now be set into operation. Forgthis purpose v the ropes '50 will be manipulated for. the pury poseof raising the stack of'` tubes, and to plumb the tubes. The several nuts 41 maybe` adjusted to hold the ball member 37 in an position necessary. to vmaliethe tubestand verticallyeven' though the cylinder l lisinclined, as shown `in Figuren'. Of course,

Y eo

where the cylinderV remainsgvertical, as in Y Y Figure 3,`no adjustment oftheballmember ated, the stack `otitubes-f-is`` lifted, the outer- Y tubellilsliding in thestuflng boX-` atfthe top e of the ball member `37. It 1s necessary to lil* thfekcompaptment Ofb. thle r Submerge .vessel i. where. the opening is made v is water-tight,

't-he crew may pass through the openinginto 37 is necessaryg Whenthe ropes 50'are oper-V the stack` of tubesuntil the bolts y53 canY be secured in the portion 45 oftheouter tube,

Vand if this cannot be done by thev ropes alone, compressed air may beeadmittedinto the chamber 3 andthisairpwillforce the stack 1 of tubesV upwardly. lThe. bolts 53 are then secured as described above. By-means of the,

valve compressed air; is? admitted into the space within thetube between the upper door 66 and the lowerjdoor 7l from the compartment 3. The 'outwardly` extending langef59 and its gasketv 6l of one tube sectionvvill comeV ieee engegjenleiie"einelitterfittefueeiiexe pj, Y 'fladjacentltubesection,whereuponboltsf62vvill1 f temeertefd terdege the inner tubemmbef ter rest-on th rib@jotgthe'nextgadjacentfftubel secti until all they ofehewetef efluiefeetendefi tete' will' heveeuaebie n chere() weights@ their apposite ende-,which wilibepieeedrremeheeurfeeeveeeelfe eu ebiepeieteeneheeee beaefaeeeneith weer? A appel?" f' endloffthegtubefand-laretlghtened so thatt'of ,.getherwiththe anchors they"'willfservet-tofI Y' lguylthe :tube 'and'inaintain it inrprope'rrrver- Y tical position againsttheaction of water{ciiifvv and?" the cables 68 are `attalcl'ed toflth onf-f IUV thisffmanner the severalsectins* aegeeaaeieeaaeupper-,eed 'f rents, wind and fw'a'vesl y"If"de'si1ed,' rope a l ladder` will extend-through 'the length of the* .l teleseopin'g`tubeto'fperrnit persons tol climbff'f the g tube, andV out blown off after thetelescopi'ng vtube-hasbeenA y fromthediving cylinder l upwardlythrough 5 u l of thetop end of the -lat'terigT Y The p'ressure-'within'the cylinderjli-I'naybef i raised and the bolts 62have'been-'appledyso d that the door '71'ma'ybe` opene'd'and the per- Y sons travelingto the top ofthetubemayfopen` the door v6G and-leavefthe [upper endet/the tube.

, ber-4 andthe hatchfmay rbe openedto permit." the .crew finy ithe compartment 3f-t0 V,pass

`intoftlie compartment-45er yice' versa, The crew, suitable apparatusfnotsh`own,fmay1f' l now werkgin-"the` chamber 4', 'and 'withinthe space'pr'o'vided lbythe"laccordion member drill,"burn", cut or-isaw av suitable openinginf the plate`770i`inthespace surrounded bythev y gasketl 28 in order-to give access ,tofthein teriorlofthesubmerged vessel. If the ygasket 'e case, it rwill only l, necessary to fopen the hach when the pressure in ,the cemeerltmenf l 4t has beenfblown oft', Where the afp'piaratusi v y is not, -`'h'.ow'ever, located adjacent the latch, then'a. hole}may be madein the rplate ,70 infk any manner, as abovey set forthe holehas'been made in thepl ate(0, then, if

the submerged vesself'or rescuing xmembjersof ,mx/3 Y, Y. flanges 59 engage 'thee-ite e0; 1 menagere llh ave shown the-tubefullyextended,` so-,that the; upper fsec'tionectsfabove' the s ne f -V fwmzthe submergediesise1-m n the diving apparatus-f Iiimcmbersof tbe-crewvfpassiinto tlie com;

I. partmxt 40fjthe dwing. apparatusefterfh lat-ter has been reduced' to atmospheric pressure, they Wil-linotbesubjected.tolhigh' presl sure during anypart ofthe rescue Work.f

`V 'scoping tube, in atmospheric-pres l c there isno necessity 'forjsubjecting theres cufed From neuem-communication maybe can"v gli rie'd: oll-IOmQ the submergedfvesselthrough the diving 'cylinder l andf'through'the telen Y sluwe-5 0 hltV perscnstoiany 'dmpresscn.Operationwhen n other ways. 1

"theyarrveat the Surface f thewae 1 Eefthisreasonthe resueperatcns mayhecarr x ,friedon Vrapitlyal'nd without injury'- tothel I rescued pel-:Sense ffFurthermQre, refines Sal- *i While the apparatus `is in the' condition just 'del-gv vaging operations may be conducted scribed. f l

vesselbawebeen,comp1eted, it may-:plie` desir- Vable to apply al patch or in somemanner close the openingxwhich Wasmfadein the, plateyvO of thesubmerged vesselg" Whengthe salyag-V Y ing operations bayebeen comp1eted,tbe diving apparatus may be restored to its original conditionV by reversing. .theoperations y of @Jaa-bea f7;

, v`Wbi1e1 have described one method of using the-present apparatus, it will be apparent that the. "dey'icemay be Vmani-puiated' invarious .Y Q, Y Y' In Fgurw I have hewn` Wei 'table supporting-fringe; ,741 and tack-1e Witbin Ythecompartnplent'L and these be manipulated ythrough the.

weightsY may A y .open bottomcf .thediving apparatus. inthe samev manner;v Y iatedvin my said co-pending. applicatiolr:VK

k ing on the annulalrn 8 Within legcomperte. Y c mente: and connected yfexble come@ionsl l Y bat the Weightsik `are manipufV Having. described my; invent1on,` kWhat,`

ber; haring; an open -Lbottbm and adapted .tol j c contain compressed air, ,an accordlon mem- Y ber attached tothefopen bottom of said chamf g ber andfhaving means for` attachment to a deckor hullr-l'platefof a Vessell whereby said f chamber vwill forman enclosure for a'portion of said p1ate,"and means operable from Withl v in isaid chamberffor ladjustingV tbeV angle kof Vthe lower portion of said yaccordionv member Y,

inrelation tothe angle ofsaid1chamber;comf

' tween "said Vchamberfan'd fthe vlower' portion' ofsaid-I accordion member.v f

2. A- diving apparatus including a chamber i Y.

adapted-tch submergedand tocontancompressed: air, a tube to vform Ta means'ofpassage; e Jetween theV submerged chamber {andthe Water surface, said tube comprisingv sections f adapted to telescope one into the 0tber the y tbe'being adaptedtetelescopefined cham-fl Y benand means {orsrupporvting the lower end."` y

JQHNR cacciare., i 

